Algeria becomes the second Arab nation to declare official support for Palestine and to confront Israel

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: While searching the internet for the latest news on Sudan and South Sudan, I saw this news report and thought it best to post it here for future reference. Some say Sudan is, or will be, part of a coalition of countries led by Iran intent on annihilating Israel. I am doing my best not to post inflammatory news here. No doubt, the horrors and humanitarian catastrophe in Israel and Palestine will adversely affect the people of Sudan and South Sudan, the delivery of enough aid, and set back progress and hopes for long awaited peace, development and prosperity.

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Algerian parliament authorizes President Tebboune to support Gaza amid Israeli assaults

Report at Al Bawaba 'The Hub of Middle East Content'

By Mansour Al-Maswari

Dated Thursday, 2 November 2023; 07:50 GMT - here is a copy in full:

Demonstrators march with signs in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during a rally in Algiers on October 19, 2023. AFP

Highlights

Algeria becomes the second Arab nation to declare official support for Palestine and to confront Israel.

(ALBAWABA) - In a significant move, the Algerian Parliament has officially authorized President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to enter the conflict in support of Gaza, with a unanimous vote of 100/100. 

This decision comes in response to the escalating Israeli massacres against the Palestinian population in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Algeria becomes the second Arab nation to declare official support for Palestine and to confront Israel. 

View original: https://www.albawaba.com/news/algerian-parliament-authorizes-president-tebboune-support-gaza-amid-israeli-assaults-1540187

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POSTSCRIPT from Sudan Watch Editor

Algeria is the largest country in Africa and the 10th largest in the world, it is a predominantly Muslim country of North Africa. Here are snippets from Encyclopaedia Britannica, maps of Africa, Algeria; recent news reports.

Map of Africa (Courtesy: Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Algeria

By The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Oct 31, 2023 - excerpts:

Algeria, large, predominantly Muslim country of North Africa. From the Mediterranean coast, along which most of its people live, Algeria extends southward deep into the heart of the Sahara, a forbidding desert where Earth’s hottest surface temperatures have been recorded and which constitutes more than four-fifths of the country’s area. The Sahara and its extreme climate dominate the country. The contemporary Algerian novelist Assia Djebar has highlighted the environs, calling her country “a dream of sand.”

The capital is Algiers, a crowded bustling seaside metropolis whose historic core, or medina, is ringed by tall skyscrapers and apartment blocks. Algeria’s second city is Oran, a port on the Mediterranean Sea near the border with Morocco. Less hectic than Algiers, Oran has emerged as an important centre of music, art, and education.

Map of Algeria (Courtesy: Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Land

Algeria is bounded to the east by Tunisia and Libya; to the south by Niger, Mali, and Mauritania; to the west by Morocco and Western Sahara (which has been virtually incorporated by the former); and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea. It is a vast country—the largest in Africa and the 10th largest in the world—that may be divided into two distinct geographic regions. The northernmost, generally known as the Tell, is subject to the moderating influences of the Mediterranean and consists largely of the Atlas Mountains, which separate the coastal plains from the second region in the south. This southern region, almost entirely desert, forms the majority of the country’s territory and is situated in the western portion of the Sahara, which stretches across North Africa.

Capital: Algiers

Population: (2023 est.) 46,116,000

Form Of Government: multiparty republic with two legislative houses (Council of the Nation [144¹]; National People’s Assembly [462])

Head Of State And Government: President: Abdelmadjid Tebboune, assisted by Prime Minister: Ayman Benabderrahmane

Official Languages: Arabic; Amazigh

Recent News

Oct. 26, 2023, 11:07 AM ET (Yahoo News)

Hamas-Israel conflict: Algeria offers to host Palestine's football matches – the bigger history

Oct. 10, 2023, 12:06 PM ET (AP)

Algeria forces Francophone schools to adopt Arabic curriculum but says all languages are welcome

View original: https://www.britannica.com/place/Algeria

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Related News

Algeria Intensifies Efforts to Stop the Fighting in Sudan

Echoroukonline report by Dalila Henache

Dated 30 October 2023 - excerpts:

Algeria is ready to intensify efforts with regional and international partners to stop the fighting between Sudanese parties, taking into account the supreme interest of their country and establishing a new era that meets the ambitions and aspirations of the Sudanese people, President of the National People’s Assembly, Ibrahim Boghali, announced.

During his meeting, on Monday, with the Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to Algeria, Nadia Mohamed Khair Othman, to review bilateral relations and ways to raise them to the level of the aspirations of the two peoples, Boughali explained, in this regard, “the keenness of the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, to resolve crises by giving priority to the language of dialogue and refusing to resort to force and foreign interventions,” according to a statement by the NPA’s Council.

Full story: https://www.echoroukonline.com/algeria-intensifies-efforts-to-stop-the-fighting-in-sudan

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Five new realities after four weeks of Israel-Gaza war

BBC News report by Jeremy Bowen, International editor, in southern Israel

Dated Friday, 3 November 2023 - excerpts:

One of the first things to understand about the reportage, analysis and commentary that has poured out since the Hamas attacks of 7 October is that no-one has the full story. Not only is it, as ever, hard to penetrate the fog of war to work out what is happening on the battlefield. The new shape of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians has not yet emerged.

Events are still moving fast. Fears that the war could spread are very real. New realities in the Middle East are out there somewhere, but their shape and the way that they will work depend on the way this war goes for the rest of the year, and probably beyond.

Full story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-67306902

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UPDATES - Sat 4 Nov 2023 14:08 GMT; 15:14 GMT:

UK Urges Iran to Use Influence to Prevent Escalation of Israel-Hamas Conflict

Report at Asharq Al-Awsat English by Rabi’ Al-Thani

Dated Saturday, 4 November 2023 - excerpts:

British foreign minister James Cleverly has urged Iran to use its influence with groups in the Middle East region to prevent an escalation of Israel's conflict with Hamas. 

Britain's Foreign Office said Cleverly spoke to Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Friday, telling him "Iran bore responsibility" for the actions of groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, that it has supported for many years. 

Cleverly also reiterated that Iranian-backed threats against people in the United Kingdom were unacceptable and must stop, a Foreign Office spokesperson said.

Full story: https://english.aawsat.com/world/4647391-uk-urges-iran-use-influence-prevent-escalation-israel-hamas-conflict

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Algeria Will Again Send an Ambassador to Spain After 19-Month Diplomatic Crisis

Report at Asharq Al Awsat English

Dated Sat, 4 Nov 2023 - excerpts:

A breakthrough in the strained relations between Algeria and Spain is looming after reports that Algiers plans to send a new ambassador to Madrid, ending a 19-month diplomatic crisis.

Senior Algerian political sources said the two countries are in the process of resolving their crisis, adding that their relations are about to return to normal.

Full story:

https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/4647561-algeria-will-again-send-ambassador-spain-after-19-month-diplomatic-crisis

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Iran, Qatar Coordinate Efforts to Support Palestine

Report from Tasnim News Agency, Iran

Dated 15 October 2023 - 10:39 - excerpt:

TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The foreign ministers of Iran and Qatar weighed plans for cooperation among Muslim nations to assist the people of Gaza and force the Israeli regime to end its brutal strikes on Palestinians.

Full story: 

https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2023/10/15/2971951/iran-qatar-coordinate-efforts-to-support-palestine

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UK backs permanent seat for Africa at UNSC

MORE good news. Maybe UK Gov’s been here looking for great ideas :)

Report at yahoo! movies

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

Published Thursday 29 June 2023, 1:30 pm BST - here is a full copy:

UK backs permanent seat for Africa at UN Security Council

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly called for an expanded UN Security Council, with permanent representation from Africa (HENRY NICHOLLS)

The UK on Thursday announced its backing for an expanded UN Security Council, including a permanent spot for Africa, to reflect the current and future state of the world.

"We want to see permanent African representation and membership extended to India, Brazil, Germany and Japan," said Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

"I know this is a bold reform. But it will usher the Security Council into the 2020s," he told the Chatham House foreign affairs think-tank in London.

The UK is a permanent member of the Security Council with China, France, Russia and the United States, and sits with 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN general assembly for two-year terms.

US President Joe Biden has previously signalled his support for an expanded UN Security Council with African representation, and giving the African Union a permanent spot in the G20.

He has also outlined his backing for a permanent seat for Latin America, and supported bids from Japan and India.

Developing nations have long complained about not having a say on the council, where the five permanent members wield veto power, and argued the imbalance risked making the body obsolete.

But so far, repeated calls for reform have come to nothing, and experts doubt that the permanent five will give up their powers, despite the persuasive argument for change.

Cleverly's backing for an expanded body came in a speech calling for a "reinvigorated multilateral system", to make it fit for purpose for the 21st century.

Multilateral agreements such as the UN charter of 1945 had served the world well since then, on issues from nuclear non-proliferation to climate change, he said.

But there was no guarantee of their survival for the same period of time into the future, particularly with challenges such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the worldwide coronavirus pandemic.

Cleverly called the Kremlin's military action "a calculated assault on the UN Charter" and on the principles of the rules-based international order.

The geo-political and global economic centre of gravity was shifting from Europe and North America towards the Indo-Pacific region.

Demographic changes also put Africa in the ascendancy, making it more important than ever to give countries there a voice on the issues that affect them, such as tackling debt, poverty and climate change, he added.

The overhaul also needed to be extended to the World Trade Organization to reflect the digital economy, and international financial institutions to address climate finance and debt reduction, he added.

phz/jwp/rox

View original: https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/uk-backs-permanent-seat-africa-123017933.html

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UK urges for UN Reforms, backs India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council

UN reform is long overdue. UNSC needs permanent African representation and membership extended to India, Brazil, Germany and Japan. Read more.

Report at Republic World - www.republicworld.com
Written by Press Trust Of India
Published Friday 30 June 2023, 17:17 IST - here is a full copy:

UK urges for UN Reforms, backs India's bid for a permanent seat in the UNSC

The UK government has reiterated its call for reform of the United Nations as one of its top transnational priorities and supported India's bid for permanent membership of the powerful Security Council.

United Nations Security Council (Image: AP/File Photo)

The UK government has reiterated its call for reform of the United Nations as one of its top transnational priorities and supported India's bid for permanent membership of the powerful Security Council.

India has been at the forefront of the years-long efforts to reform the UN Security Council (UNSC), saying it rightly deserved a place as a permanent member of the United Nations.

Currently, the UNSC has five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the UK and the US. Only a permanent member has the power to veto any substantive resolution.

In a speech at a conference at the Chatham House think tank in London on Thursday, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly called for a reinvigorated multilateral system that is more reflective of the times.

He pointed out that the world’s economic centre of gravity is shifting away from the Euro-Atlantic and towards the Indo-Pacific but the multilateral institutions are yet to catch up.

“I have five transnational priorities. First, reform of the United Nations Security Council. We want to see permanent African representation and membership extended to India, Brazil, Germany and Japan,” said Cleverly.

“I know this is a bold reform. But it will usher the Security Council into the 2020s. And the UNSC has grown before – albeit not since 1965. My second priority is reform of the international financial institutions. This matters for climate finance and, of course, for poverty reduction,” he said.

The minister also hailed India’s leadership role with its presidency of the G20 in pitching for representation of poorer nations on the world stage.

“It seems obvious to me that the voice of the poorest and most vulnerable countries must be heard at the heart of the multilateral system. That’s why we support permanent membership of the G20 for the African Union and welcome India’s leadership on taking this forward,” he said.

Among the other priorities for the UK, Cleverly highlighted making finance easier and quicker to access and maximise the impact of that investment.

He also stressed that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) desperately needs new rules that reflect today’s digital economy to make trade policy “free, fair, open and not manipulated or distorted”.

He spelt out another top priority as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing have the potential to transform humankind’s problem-solving capabilities.

“I will chair the UN Security Council’s first-ever meeting on this issue, in New York next month. And the Prime Minister [Rishi Sunak] will host an AI summit this autumn,” said Cleverly. 

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)

View original: https://www.republicworld.com/world-news/rest-of-the-world-news/uk-urges-for-un-reforms-backs-indias-bid-for-a-permanent-seat-in-the-unsc-articleshow.html

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UK: Evacuation flights have ended at Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan

The RAF planes used until yesterday took off from Wadi Seidna Air Base, but tomorrow’s flight will leave from Port Sudan International Airport (Picture: Royal Navy)

Report from the METRO 

By Craig Munro

Sunday 30 April 2023 4:07 pm BST UK - full copy:

The UK is to run an additional flight to evacuate British citizens from Sudan after announcing an end to the operation yesterday.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said: ‘The UK has now airlifted over 2,100 people to safety from Sudan, in what has been the largest and longest evacuation of any western country. I want to thank all of those working to deliver this evacuation and ensure as many people as possible are brought to safety.

‘Evacuation flights have ended from Wadi Saeedna but our rescue efforts continue from Port Sudan.

‘We continue to do everything in our power to secure a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an end the violence in Sudan.’

View original: https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/30/uk-to-run-extra-sudan-evacuation-flight-as-rescue-efforts-continue-18698712/

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Protected convoys not possible for UK citizens in Sudan, says Cleverly

Report from BBC News Live Reporting

Dated Thursday 27 April 2023; 9:11 - full copy:

Protected convoys not possible for UK citizens in Sudan, says Cleverly

The UK will not offer coaches to help evacuees get to the airbase in Sudan, says Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

Speaking on the BBC's Today programme, Cleverly was asked why the UK had not provided coaches to shuttle evacuees to the exit point, as other countries including Turkey have done.

Cleverly said the "small number" of attempted convoys had come under attack.

He added: "It's not possible for us to give protected convoys from what could potentially have been a large number of locations."

View original here.

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Sudan: UK Gov begins large-scale evacuation of Brits

NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: It's good to see Sir Nicholas Kay mentioned in this report. He was an excellent UK ambassador to Sudan 2010-2012 a dangerous and difficult time in Sudan and South Sudan. I miss his reports.

In this report he is quoted as saying: the situation in Khartoum was precarious and the security situation could change rapidly because there was no trust between the two sides in the conflict.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that moving around Khartoum could be challenging because the bridges crossing the Blue and White Nile rivers were being controlled by armed groups.

Report from BBC News

By Charley Adams, BBC News

Tuesday 25 April 2023 14:30 hrs BST UK - full copy

Sudan: UK government begins large-scale evacuation of British people

IMAGE SOURCE, PA MEDIA

Image caption, Military forces have been deployed to Cyprus to help evacuate British citizens stuck in Sudan

The UK is beginning a large-scale, complex evacuation of British people from Sudan, PM Rishi Sunak has said.

Families with children, the elderly and people with medical conditions will be prioritised on RAF flights leaving from an airfield near the capital Khartoum.

They are being told to make their own way to the airport, without an escort.

A 72-hour ceasefire, agreed by rival military factions, appears to be holding although there have been reports of new gunfire and shelling.

At least 459 people have been killed since fighting broke out on 15 April.

UK ministers have come under increasing pressure to help its citizens flee the fierce fighting.

Around 4,000 UK citizens are thought to be in Sudan and 2,000 of them have already requested help, Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell said on Monday.

Only British passport holders and their immediate family with existing UK entry clearance are eligible, the government has said.

The Foreign Office is urging them to make their own way to the Wadi Saeedna airfield to the north of Khartoum to board evacuation flights.

Previous advice that people should not travel to the evacuation site until contacted by the government has been removed.

An RAF plane which took off from an airfield north of Khartoum has landed in Cyprus, according to a flight tracking site. It is not yet clear whether UK nationals are onboard.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the government was not able to escort people to the airfield and British nationals would need to "make their own way there".

He said he had made contact with the military leaders in Sudan but it was impossible to predict how long the evacuation window would remain open.

They would maintain the airhead for "as long as we can", he added, and the UK was working as quickly as possible to get people out.

Mr Cleverly said the situation there remained "dangerous, volatile and unpredictable".

"This is an active conflict, the ceasefire has been announced but we know there have been pockets of violence even within previous ceasefires," he added.

Downing Street said those evacuated would first be taken to Cyprus before being brought back to the UK.

One man with dual nationality said he feared he might not make it out of Sudan.

Musaab, who is waiting to be evacuated from Khartoum, told the BBC the situation was fraught with challenges.

"The one thing that I didn't like is that they're asking people to come to the airport which is very risky because there is no law and order," he said.

Many British nationals have spent days indoors with food and drink running low and no electricity or wifi.

Several have spoken of their anger and desperation at being left behind, while other foreign nationals and embassy staff were flown out.

On Sunday, the UK airlifted diplomats and their families out of Sudan in a military operation.

The fragile ceasefire, which began at midnight on Monday (22:00 GMT), appears to be holding but there have been reports of gunfire and warplanes flying over Khartoum.

This is the fourth suspension of fighting since violence erupted in Sudan this month, but other attempts did not hold.

Sir Nicholas Kay, a former UK ambassador to Sudan, said the situation in Khartoum was precarious and the security situation could change rapidly because there was no trust between the two sides in the conflict.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that moving around Khartoum could be challenging because the bridges crossing the Blue and White Nile rivers were being controlled by armed groups.

Hundreds of people have been airlifted from Sudan by other countries, including more than 1,000 people by European Union nations.

IMAGE SOURCE, PA MEDIA

Image caption, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid tribute to the military forces "carrying out this complex operation"

Dr Nala Hamza, whose family is trying to get out of Khartoum, said the evacuation was "good news if it came to reality".

She said her family, who live in the centre of the city, had fled their home at dawn to try to get a bus to the north of the country.

"They were hiding in a room at the back of the house away from windows because of the shooting," she told BBC Breakfast.

Dr Hamza said at least 40 out of 55 hospitals were "not functioning at all" and the system "was already struggling before the war".

There was no safe route to get any help and doctors were exhausted, she added.

Dr Atia Abdalla Atia, the general secretary of the Sudan Doctors Union, agreed the situation was "very bad" and they were doing their best to support people.

He told BBC's Today the hospital he was working in has reached maximum capacity and patients were lying down in reception without beds.

Mo, from Reading, said he was "very scared" for his family, who had arrived in Khartoum the day before the violence broke out.

"They were in that area for the first five days, with no electricity, water running out, they were isolated," he said.

"Even getting to this airport that's being looked at to be evacuating Brits from, that in itself is going to be hard to get to."

View original, with thanks to the BBC: 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-65383400

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